During their tenure as the Caps ECHL affiliate, the Stingrays served as an important part of the Caps development pipeline. Their most recent influence can be found amongst the goaltenders – both members of the current goaltending duo in Washington (Braden Holtby & Michal Neuvirth) started their professional careers in Charleston, as did future-Bears goalie Philipp Grubauer. They’ve also proven to be a strong independent franchise, maintaining a vibrant fanbase in a region that isn’t known for its ice hockey.

There’s an argument of convenience to be made for shifting ties to the Royals (who served as affiliate for both the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs during 2011-2), but it’s hard to see the Stingrays Era come to an end on our end – possibly because you never forget your first.

Here at Capitals Outsider, we look forward to working with the Royals – the future is always a gloriously undiscovered country – but we’ll always remember our time with the ‘Rays fondly. Unless we meet in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, we wish them the best of luck next season.

Writer

M. Richter

Em is a fan of hockey first and individual teams second, with geographical ties that cross the NHL. She was born in the Midwest, raised along the East Coast, and graduated from a university in Western Canada. A firm believer in context above all else, and a card-carrying on-ice official with USA Hockey, she splits her time between the big picture and the details.
When not covering the AHL and ECHL for Caps Outsider, her photography can be found on Behance and Flickr. She also occasionally chimes in about the Hershey Bears on the Power Play Post Show.